You know the feeling. You are on the fourth take of a video recording, the slides are perfect, the lighting is finally right, and then you stumble on the very last word. That frustrating cycle of recording and re-recording was the bane of my academic life, especially when faced with video assignment submissions or research assistant’s recording tasks. Discovering AI video generation was not just helpful; it felt like a heavy weight was lifted off my back.
The true benefit of this technology is not just the time it saves, but the fundamental shift in focus it allows. Suddenly, all my energy could be channeled into what actually matters: the research, the argument, and the clarity of my writing, rather than my on-camera performance. For straightforward tasks, like creating a batch of instructional videos, the AI is flawless. It delivers unmatched consistency and perfect pacing every single time, no video editing skills required.
However, for all its mechanical perfection, there is a human element missing. The AI avatars, while professional, lack genuine warmth. Their delivery can feel flat, missing the subtle inflections and gestures that build a real connection with an audience. For a simple instructional video, it is a perfect solution. But for a presentation that needs to be persuasive or convey passion? The final product can feel dry and soulless. The technology has mastered the mechanics of a presentation, but it has not yet captured the art of it.
This distinction really gets to the heart of the matter. We now have tools that offer polished, perfect delivery, often at the cost of genuine, human imperfection. It pushes us to ask a critical question about the future of our communication: As we chase efficiency and flawlessness, what part of ourselves are we willing to trade away? And when does a perfect presentation become more valuable than an authentic one?
I find the idea presented by Olga extremely relevant and urgent. Despite us gaining in efficiency and productivity, with this rapid optimization of casual manual tasks using AI, we lose not only the authenticity of the end deliverable, but we also decline an opportunity to learn and practice new skills. Recently, I have finished reading a book by Michael Port, called “Steal the Show”, which shared so many tools for preparing and delivering an effective, encouraging, and personal presentation that can help the reader build the muscle of public performance to touch hearts and make an impact. One can only train oneself to be authentic when they do the show, not the AI, and we now risk losing this opportunity to simply connect wth the speaker and his/her message.